Warning: Another timeskip in here, sorry. It's just by a few *cough* many *cough* hours though! Many thanks to Allen WalkerCrown Clown, TOOLAZYTOLOGIN, VeridianSoul, ARandomAuthor14, and Just A Kid With Too Much Time for reviewing! In this chapter, 'The 14th's Melody/The Musician' is sung and I do not own it (obviously) so disclaimer on that one! And, without further adieu, here's the next chapter! I feel like this story is going to be a bit shorter than I expected and I apologize deeply for leaving you guys off with yet another cliffhanger xD

Lavi didn't know how long he waited for Allen to wake up. It was probably three o' clock in the morning right now and he was just waiting. Allen had been sleeping since yesterday and Lavi was starting to get worried that he wouldn't wake up soon. His grandfather scolded him for missing out on his tutoring, but honestly, Lavi just wanted to sit here and wait until Allen woke up so he could thank him and assure him that he wasn't going to hurt him. Still, the question from yesterday blazed in his mind and Lavi tried willing it to just go away and leave him alone already since it was putting even more thoughts into his head.

Why did you risk your life for me, Allen?

He thought again and felt his consciousness slipping. Standing up, Lavi walked over to his bed and collapsed on it. Maybe just a little nap wouldn't hurt...besides, it wasn't as if Allen could get out of the tank and if he did manage to get out of the tank, he couldn't walk anyways. He was a mermaid, after all. So, with that thought in mind, Lavi closed his eyes and slipped off into his own dream world. Just as he fell asleep, the mermaid in the tank stirred. He didn't awaken-not yet, but his wounds made him shift in his sleep. Bookman had actually put the fish back in the tank and they swam around, nesting on Allen's fin. Mermaids were the fish's greatest friends after all...even if they did eat them...they nipped at his scales and rested between his fins.

The silver-finned mermaid woke up around ten o' clock that morning. He ached in several places, especially his back, and shifted to try and get comfortable. That was when he felt the cramped walls of the tank around him. Ugh...so sleepy...wait...where am I? Allen wondered and narrowed his brow in thought. It was then that the events from yesterday zoomed through his mind and he snapped his eyes open. He looked around and quickly spotted the tank he was in. What the...what...is this? Wait...humans keep fish as pets...they're not trying to keep me are they?! Allen struggled around and found a cup. If he managed to break out of this tank, he didn't want the exotic fish to die...it'd be such a waste...so, he took the cup and ordered the fish to go inside. They swam in and he put it on the shelf before wiggling with all his strength. He winced slightly at the wounds that threatened to open up.

Allen rammed into the side of the tank forcefully and it successfully fell off and hit the floor with a loud smash. The tank didn't break, but it did crack. He crawled out of the glass and looked towards the bed to see that Lavi was still sleeping. The teen clutched his abdomen with pain before rolling on his back. Crap...I didn't even think about how I was going to get out of here after getting out of the tank...it isn't like I can walk or anything...but then...didn't Cross say that I can transform my fins into legs? I've studied human book so I know how their anatomy goes, but...will I really be able to use that knowledge here? And when I do, won't I be naked naked? Like, humans have to cover their bottom half...and girls have to cover their tops too. Allen thought. Maybe the curse will just work on it's own somehow...he thought and narrowed his eyes to focus on the bottom half of his fins. He made sure to make some shorts out of the substance inside of his fin before transforming.

Surprisingly enough, the curse did work on it's own and Allen grew legs. He marveled at the sight and quickly looked to the bed to make sure Lavi was still sleeping. Seeing that the coast was clear, Allen tried standing up...and fell right back down. Standing up is harder than it looks...how am I supposed to walk? Allen winced and grabbed a hold of a rail, lifting himself up and wobbling around to catch his balance. It's just one foot after the other, right? Allen remembered seeing humans around town walk before...if the kids can do it, then I can do it...and with that thought in mind, Allen desperately clung to walls to make his way around the castle. It was really hard finding the way out because one, there were maids that could've spotted him and two, he had no idea where he was. Not only that, the place was huge.

A couple of hours passed before Allen finally found himself safely outside. His new legs hurt and he found himself crawling to the shore. He transformed his legs back and waddled in the water, feeling free when he finally managed to get in. I wonder where Cross is...is he okay? Allen wondered as he looked around for sharks. He swam back to the rock that they had been in and sighed with relief when he saw the light corals on. He then swam to the cave and peeked his head in to see Cross drinking that human stuff from his wine glass. Gee and I thought you'd be looking for me, thanks Cross.

"...Master?" Allen called out and blinked when Cross dropped his glass inside the bubble.

"...Allen?" Cross asked and got up from his chair.

"...um...hi..." Allen greeted awkwardly, swimming inside the cave.

"Christ, kid, what happened to you?" Cross asked and gestured to the bandages on his stomach.

"Well...when you left there was a shark...and it attracted more sharks...and..." Allen trailed off and Cross narrowed his eyes.

"Couldn't you have come back to the rock?" Cross asked.

"Well, I could've..." He said and looked away. "But...there was a person in the water...and I couldn't leave him there..." Allen mumbled. "Anyways...after I got him to the shore I passed out because I was injured really badly and I couldn't exactly see straight." Allen informed.

"You passed out in front of humans?!" He shouted and Allen winced.

"Well, yeah...and I woke up in a...glass of some sort..." He said uncertainly, wondering if that's really what they kept their pet fish in. "And then I managed to get out of whatever the thing was and I...walked..." He said the last part quietly.

"So I didn't need to teach you how to grow your own legs after all..." Cross muttered and sat back on his couch. "You could've stayed, you know." Cross said, looking away from his apprentice. "Technically, I've trained you enough. You could've stayed with those people until you could find a home." Allen soaked in Cross' words before shaking his head.

"I think living on the surface would be fun, but...I belong here. I mean, it's not like I can just find a house like that. Humans have prices and stuff and while I could sell my pearls, I don't really know much about bargaining or anything like that...I think I'll stay here for now..." He decided and swam out of the cave. "I'll come back later!" Allen shouted and Cross shouted back a 'don't come back, ya twerp!' but Allen knew that he was only kidding.

The mermaid swam to the house underwater that he made for himself and hummed. He smiled at the bright idea in his mind and inhaled as much water as he could before blowing a huge bubble around the small underwater house. Satisfied, Allen swam over and poked his head through the bubble that barely covered the window and crawled inside. He hummed and grabbed his bag before swimming out of the bubble, gathering some water, and swimming back in to fill up the small pool inside. Allen wanted to shout with excitement now that his house was finally finished. He swam out of the house again and surfaced the island, piling all his things from the small island inside his bag and taking them inside his home. After organizing his things, he relaxed in the small pool.

Now what?

"LAVI!" Bookman screeched, waking the redheaded prince from his slumber.

"Huh?" Lavi muttered, rubbing his eye.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING SLEEPING?!" The old man shouted.

"Gee, gramps, show a little mercy will you? I stayed up til three..." He grumbled.

"I TOLD YOU TO WATCH ON THE MERMAID, DID I NOT?!" Bookman didn't even care if anyone could hear him.

"Well, yeah, but I was really really tired...why are you freaking out anyway-oh shit." Lavi whispered, seeing the tank spilled over. "Oh man...oh crap...this isn't good. Where could he have gone?!" Lavi looked around the room but couldn't find him anywhere.

"Damn it, Lavi. You will find him!" Bookman snapped and stormed out of the room to look for a place that Allen could've hid in.

I thought he couldn't survive outside of water without his tail being completely intact! Doesn't he know it's dangerous to just crawl around like that, especially with maids everywhere?! Oh man, maybe one of the servants saw him? Crap...this really isn't good...what if he's already...NO! Don't think like that! Lavi shook his head and nearly slipped when he ran across the wet floor out the door. He flung every door he came across open. He couldn't have gone far! Oh no, this really isn't...what the heck...? Lavi lifted his bare foot off the wet floor and narrowed his eye at the floor and was just about to call the janitor until he saw a trail of water. He looked around before following the trail. He could tell that it was from Allen, seeing as the trail had no idea where it was going. It passed by three ways to get outside before it finally left outside. Lavi looked behind him and trotted down the path, following the tracks as quickly as possible. They stopped in the sand and the ocean had already washed the tracks away. Lavi narrowed his eye and crouched down in the sand.

...footprints?

According to the book Anita wrote, mermaids couldn't walk. So then...how could Allen? Were they really even his tracks to begin with? Then again, he can't imagine why anyone else in the castle would be so wet they'd be tracking water everywhere. None of this made sense. Allen was a mermaid...so then how could he walk? Lavi looked out the window and sighed. It was already starting to get dark out. Maybe he could check the water? Allen seemed to be swimming on the surface a lot because the water pressure below slowed him down...so, Lavi walked (sneaked) out of the castle and got in his boat. The sun had long since gone down and Lavi really had no idea where he was going. Honestly...Lavi didn't even know where he was...All he could see was a huge rock a few meters away. It was then that the moon chose to shine down on the rock and Lavi's breath hitched at the figure that sat upon the rock. He stopped paddling and just stared at the beautiful mermaid for a long time. Since when has Allen been this beautiful? His thoughts ceased when Allen opened his mouth and a beautiful melody in another language escaped from his lips.

"Soushite bouya wa nemuri ni suita
Ikidzuku hai no naka no honou
Hitotsu futatsu to
Ukabu fukurami itoshi yokogao
Daichi ni taruru ikusen no

Yume yume

Gin no hitomi no yuragu yoru ni
Umare ochita kagayaku omae
Ikuoku no toshitsuki ga
Ikutsu Inori wo tsuchi he kaeshitemo
Watashi wa inori tsudzakeru
Dou ka kono ko ni ai wo

Tsunaida te kissu wo"

Lavi just stared in awe. It was all he could really do. Allen's voice was so hypnotizing. It just made him want to come closer and listen to the melody flowing through his lips. The mermaid stopped singing and Lavi noticed that tears were slowly falling down his face...he felt a bit like he was protruding Allen's personal space, but he also felt like he had to comfort the boy. So, Lavi paddled closer. He stopped in front of the rock, but he didn't know how to make himself known to the somber boy. Maybe I could just clear my throat...? Lavi thought and attempted doing so. In the end, he ended up calling out Allen's name.

"...Allen..." He whispered. Even though his whisper was quiet, Allen's sharp ears heard him and his head snapped over to him. He looked ready to jump back in the water at any time now. "...w-wait!" Lavi called and climbed out of his boat and onto the rock. He was lucky that Allen actually stopped his plan of leaving. "Um...I'm sorry for listening in but...that was really beautiful..." Lavi complimented, earning a blush from Allen.

"Thank you...my father taught it to me..." Allen said softly and looked up at the moon.

"Your father? You mean that redheaded guy that was with you?" Lavi asked. Allen wondered briefly how Lavi had met Cross, but instantly shook his head at Lavi's assumption.

"Of course no-...I mean...no, not him. He's my master." Allen informed and Lavi stared at Allen for a long time, telling himself over and over that it wasn't that kind of master. "He's the one who teaches me. My father was murdered when I was little..." Allen said quietly. He didn't really like to talk about it.

"I'm sorry..." Lavi felt like apologizing for bringing it up. "I bet he was a great man." Lavi added and Allen nodded with agreement.

"He was...a king." Allen said quietly.

"A king? Then you're a prince?" Lavi asked. Allen shrugged his shoulders.

"You could say that, but I was framed for murder so I was banished from my kingdom...which is why I can come on the surface...because I've already been banished, it isn't like they can punish me anymore..." He mumbled bitterly.

"Oh...it must've been hard for you..."

"Not really..." Allen sighed and looked away. "I wasn't his biological son. I was taken in from the streets and Mana was going to die anyways because he was deathly ill. He was just died early...but even before that, people thought that I was a nuisance. Dirty blood if you will. I was picked up from the streets...some of them even said that I was the reason he got sick in the first place...but Mana was so kind...and I was so little...I guess...it was selfish of me to stay..." He murmured, tears prickling the sides of his eyes.

"I don't think so." Lavi couldn't believe his own words coming out of his mouth. "I think you're perfect." He said with a smile. Allen gave him a sad smile back.

"...thank you..."

"So, anyways...um...I wasn't trying to catch you if that's what you thought..." Lavi mumbled, not taking his eyes off of Allen. Allen frowned at him.

"Why was I in a tank then?" He asked.

"Well, you needed water and it was the only thing we could find...I wanted to thank you." Lavi said, changing the topic.

"Thank me?" Allen questioned and Lavi nodded.

"Thank you for saving me, Allen. But I've got to ask...why did you do it? You could've escaped without a single scratch...but you saved me...why?" Lavi asked. Allen hesitated with his answer.

"Because..." He trailed off and Lavi gave him a gesture to keep going.

"Because...?" The prince asked invitingly.

"...I love you..."